Stuck In The Glue
by FadingMoonlight
Summary: When my life falls apart, good old Choji is there to help put it back together. But what happens when he becomes a big part of it? Kiba x Choji.
1. DRUNK

**NOTES **I don't own Naruto or any of the Naruto characters. This applies to all the chapters of this story.

My friend pointed out to me that there were no romance stories for this couple, and we both agree that they'd be really cute together. So I decided to try and write the first real romance between them for this site.

Reviews and comments are loved

* * *

I sighed. Took a swig of sake sighed again. This had to be the worst day of my life. All I wanted to do was drown my sorrows in alcohol in front of me and forget about everything.

The door to the bar tinkled as it was opened.

"Hey Kiba." A deep voice called me from the doorway. I looked up at the familiar frame of the Akimichi clan. "Hinata said you came here sometimes."

"Hey." I replied, sadly raising the bottle to my lips. "So, what do you need anyway?"

"You're really down, aren't you?" The larger boy slipped into the seat across from me.

"What makes you say that?" I slurred, "It's not as if my life's falling apart or anything…no, wait."

Despite the fact I was serious, and he knew that, the skin on Choji's face stretched into a smile. "I heard."

"Hinata really did tell you, didn't she?"

"Yeah," I closed my eyes against the harsh reality around me, "But, I mean, it can't be that bad." He continued, trying to get me to snap out of my depression.

"It is." I replied bluntly, ordering another round of sake.

"Kiba…" The sake bottle disappeared halfway to my mouth. I reopened my eyes to see the porcelain bottle in Choji's hands. A concerned gleam was in his eye. I sighed.

"You wouldn't understand."

"C'mon Kiba, everyone's been there."

"Yeah right." I snatched back my drink.

"Believe me, Kiba. Everyone feels like the world is ending at some point or another. It's usually nothing much. They laugh about it later."

"Nothing much!" I stood up, accidentally knocking the table into Choji's wide berth. I was only slightly aware of yelling in my drunken stupor, but it seemed I was. "Nothing much! How about I decide what's _nothing much_? How's Akamaru being sick nothing much? The fact he's stuck in the veterinary's office nothing much!"

Choji slowly rose to join me. Carefully avoiding my flailing limbs, he reached for me, trying to calm down my alcohol induced rage. "He'll get better Kiba. You've said yourself that you can always count on Akamaru.

"That's not all! My girlfriend dumped me, DUMPED ME!"

"Kiba, that's not-"

"Yeah, you would know! You get dumped all the time, don't you Choji?" Even through the haze I could see that struck hard. In the back of my mind I knew I would regret it in the morning, but for know I just kept on ranting. "But for you at least they have some sort of understandable reason!"

Even drunk I knew that was way too far. Choji withdrew his hand. "Yeah," He looked to the floor, "Lucky me, I get to be single because all the women in this village are too superficial to stay with me."

"So you agree all the women are bitches!" Finally Choji put a hand on my shoulder and pushed me back into my seat. He gave a nervous smile to everyone else in the bar.

"That's not what I meant." He hissed.

"Well my woman was a bitch! You want to know that bitch dumped me? If that doesn't show you how fickle woman are then nothing will!

You know, she dumped me because I'm bi! Yeah! She found out that I was bisexual and dumped me because I might like a guy. How stupid is that?"

Choji blinked, "She dumped you for that? Really?"

"Yes!" I sighed again as I calmed down. I had to admit it felt good to let someone know. I ordered one last bottle of sake, though I drifted off into a sake induced sleep before I finished it.


	2. HANGOVER

**NOTES **I had a couple reviewers, and figured that since I have it all written up anyway, I'd try to update quickly.

If you spot any grammatical errors, don't be afraid to point them out. I've found a few myself, but don't think I caught them all.

Reviews are greatly loved.

* * *

When I woke up I was in a bed that was slightly too big for me and had a slight indent in which I was sleeping. When I opened my eyes I realized I had a splitting headache. I opted to moan and roll over.

"Good to see you're awake." Choji's voice drifted from where he stood at the doorway. I forced one eye open again and looked at him.

"Choji?" I groaned, trying to come up with an excuse why he was with me made my head throb even worse.

"Here." The boy offered a steaming mug, which I painfully accepted. "I find that helps whenever I'm hung-over." I started to drink, but the mug froze at my lips. Choji, caring, reliable Choji had gotten drunk before?

"Yes, I've gotten drunk before." He answered my unvoiced question. He gave a slight smile as I drunk.

Whatever was in the mug really helped. I could feel the warmth of the drink spread through my system, soothing all my aches and giving energy to my tired muscles. Soon I was able to sit up and look at my surroundings without my head felling like it was about to split in two.

"That better?" Choji asked quietly. It struck me as more motherly than even my own mother had ever been. I nodded, "Good."

Quizzically I inspected the room I was in. It was a bedroom, judging by the double bed that I was in. The walls were in almost rustic dark red, which matched the dark brown side table and dresser. The one window was closed against the sunlight—a thoughtful gesture from Choji—and the closet hid its contents from view.

I didn't even consider it to be Choji's bedroom, it was just too clean. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Choji's room to be anything but littered with empty chip bags.

"Where…?"

"You fell asleep while drinking last night." Choji started to explain, before he left. A minute later he came back with a couple bowls of soup. I gratefully took mine. "I wasn't sure where your apartment was—not that I could get in even if I did—so I brought you to mine. I…I couldn't leave you at the bar." He looked down, a slight pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Thanks." He left me alone, and I soon fell back to sleep in Choji's bed.

Awhile later I woke up and got out of bed to find Choji in his spotless kitchen. I stared around.

"You must be feeling better." He smiled when he noticed me.

"Your apartment is so…clean."

Choji laughed. "Yeah, I like to know where everything is. Everyone always seems surprised by that. I don't know why."

I opened my mouth to tell him why, but I realized I didn't know, "I guess everyone just assumed…"

"Whatever. You hungry?" Only then did I get a whiff of what Choji had cooking. Drool formed in my mouth and my stomach growled. Choji laughed, "Sure sound like it."

I devoured the food once it was done, all the while thanking Choji for everything.

"Hey Kiba," Choji said after awhile. I looked up, home-made noodles hanging from my mouth. "About your girlfriend, did she really dump you because your bi?"

I slowly swallowed my mouthful. "Yeah," I answered equally as slowly. Pain blossomed in my chest as it dawned on me as reality, but I said nothing. It was nothing that could be treated.

"How…horrible. How stupid!" My head shot up again. Choji sat across from me, head down and his hands clenched.

"Choji, you don't have-"

"No! Really! You're my friend, I…I don't know. I can't just sit here quietly. Not while a friend was hurt by someone so stupid!

The pain lessened, surprisingly. I smiled at the ninja across from me. "It's okay. It really is Choji. Her dumping me for that just shows she's a self-centered bitch. It's better now than when I'm even closer to her. I'm sure it wouldn't have worked out even if it wasn't about his."

"Still…"

"I'm fine. But you wanna know what will make it better? More of your food! God, who would have thought you were such an amazing cool?"

"I am an Akimichi, after all. It's kinda in our blood."

I smiled at that. It is a known fact that Akimichi's learn to cook as soon as they're able to follow instructions. Looking at Choji I wondered why I never spent much time with him before today.

More time passed in silence. I couldn't possibly know what Choji was thinking, but honestly I was wondering how Choji could still be single. With all these talents of his he'd make a great husband.

Then I remembered what I'd said in my drunken state the night before. "Choji," He looked up at me curiously, "I'm really beyond thankful to you for taking care of me last might and today and…"

"Kiba, you don't-"Choji tried to stop me. He was always overly modest about some things I guess.

"I'm sorry!" I finished strongly, trying to shake the sudden shyness that had crept over me. "I didn't really mean those things I said last night, I really didn't.'

He must have seen in my face how much I meant it because his molded into first an expression of shock, then forgiveness before he smiled again. "It's alright. Everyone says stupid stuff while they're drunk. You should hear Ino. I swear she never shuts up."

"She doesn't do that on a normal day." I laughed along with him. Honestly though, I wasn't sure I was okay with what had happened, but I did feel better about it. The more I thought about it the more I realized that Choji just seemed to have that effect, just being closer to the large ninja made all my problems not seem as bad.

Akamaru _was _definitely going to get better. I'm not even sure why that had seemed like such a horrible thing last night. All he had was a small infection, and the vets hadn't wanted it to get worse with all the stuff outside the vet. Being away from him for so long had probably just made me a bit antsy.

The whole episode with my girlfriend while depressing, was not the end of the world. I truly believed what I'd said earlier; if something as silly as my being bisexual is bad enough for her to dump me, then I'm better off without the bitch. Thinking about it now I'm not sure why I'm so beat up about it anyway. She's not that beautiful and the sex wasn't amazing or anything. The only really great thing I got out of the relationship was the apartment…

"Oh hell!" I jumped up. Knocking Choji's dishes to the floor with a resounding crash. I visibly slapped myself out of stupidity. "What the fuck am I gonna do?"

"Kiba?" Choji instinctively bent to pick up the broken bowls.

"Damn it! I was living with my fucking girlfriend! Now that it's over I can't go back there. Where the fuck am I gonna live?"

"Kiba, calm down. Just explain everything. Maybe I can help." Slowly, calmly Choji placed a strong hand on my shoulder and forced me to sit back down.

I forced my self to take a few deep breathes to calm my racing heart. "I was living with my girlfriend in the apartment that her parents bought her—you know, since living with our own parents is kind of embarrassing at our age. Now that we're broken up…I can't really live there anymore, I doubt she'll even let me in long enough to get my things." My head dropped despairingly into my hands, "Hell, I don't even want to see her…"

A feeling of reassurance swept over me. Confused, I looked up into the almost motherly face of Choji. He was smiling, like always. "Is that all? If that's all I think you're having a pretty good day.

You're welcome to stay here with me until you find something better. Akamaru too of course. My doors always open for a friend.

I was embarrassed to say that tears sprang to my eyes. I never knew Choji to be so unendingly kind.


	3. UH OH!

About two months have passed since Choji opened his home to me and Akamaru. Akamaru had gotten better within the week and retrieving my things from my former apartment had been rather uneventful.

I've yet to get myself a new girlfriend—or boyfriend—yet though.

"Hey Kiba!" The familiar voice of my kind Akimichi roommate rumbled from the kitchen, "If you don't get up soon I'm going to finish breakfast without you."

I knew from experience that he would follow up on that threat. With a sleepy groan I rolled off the couch. "Wait…" A warm chuckle could be heard from as a strong hand grabbed the back of my shirt and hauled me to my feet.

"You'd think you would have learned to get up on your own by now." Choji playfully waved a plate of hot scrambled eggs under my sensitive nose before returning to his place at the table.

"You heartless bastard." Still not quite awake I ran headlong into the wall trying to navigate to the kitchen by scent alone.

"Am I?" Choji asked, supposedly hurt, "I though I was a useless little fuck."

"That was yesterday." I replied, too tired to care about the playful jibe about our morning routine. It took awhile, but with only a few more bumps and bruises I managed to get to the kitchen table.

"Glad you decided to join me today." Choji filled up my plate until it wouldn't hold anymore. I grunted as I started to spear the food. This was just like every morning.

It took only about a week for us to realize our habits reflected each other nearly perfectly. At first I was rather disturbed, I'd lived with my sister for seventeen years and we still stepped all over each other every chance we got. I guess I just clicked with Choji. Not once during the whole two months together did we get in each others way for anything, not even for the shower.

Not long afterwards we got into the morning routine. A turn out not only is Choji almost a neat freak but he's also a big morning person. He woke up at god knows what hour every morning, got ready, made breakfast and cleaned up before I usually became 'awake' enough to understand I was awake.

"It's good." I told him, as usual, with my mouth overflowing.

Choji shrugged modestly. "It's not that great. You should try my mother's pancakes. Now that's something to wake up to."

_I like waking up to your food well enough, _I thought to myself, barely noticing the way my heart fluttered at the implied thought of always waking up to Choji's cooking. "That may be, but your cooking is seventeen times better than my sister's and thirty times better than my mom's." I replied instead.

"Mom would be happy to know all that time she spent teaching me to cook isn't go to waste." Choji laughed heartedly. I smiled too, how uplifting his deep rumbling laugh was!

With a yawn I sat back in my chair and watched as Choji turned around and cleaned the dirty dishes. Lately I found myself doing this often, just watching Choji that is. For some reason watching as the other boy worked in his beloved kitchen was somewhat relaxing. How his muscles flexed as he carried heavy pots and pans to their cupboards, the gentle way he handled the glass dishes-

"Don't you have training with Shino and Hinata today?" Choji's voice snapped me out of the daze I wasn't aware I'd sunk into.

"J-Just Shino. Hinata and Sakura are out on some girl mission." As I levered myself up too get ready I mentally slapped myself for the obvious stutter. I would have actually slapped myself for not knowing the reason behind the stutter, but the doorbell stopped my hand in midair.

"Can you get that Kiba?" Choji called from the kitchen, "I'm busy."

"I opened the door, already knowing who would be standing in the hallway. "Hey Shino, come on in."

The mysterious bug ninja slipped past me and into Choji's apartment. "Should've known you wouldn't be ready." He commented in his deep whisper of a voice.

"I scowled before heading to the washroom to shower. "Not my fault you always come half an hour early. Maybe if you actually came on time for once I'd be ready."

Ten minutes later Akamaru was shaking water from his fur and I was sliding my armor and shirt over my damp skin. "You happy?" I spat at my teammate, who had since sat on the couch. I grabbed my jacket and kunai pouch as I stomped out of the apartment, "I'm leaving Choji!"

"Wait." He stuck his head around the kitchen doorway, "When do you think you'll be back? I need to know when to have dinner ready."

My heart flipped as I responded. Why would that be? I shrugged it off, choosing to ignore this strange response I have a lot lately. I almost started to wonder about that, but was quickly cut off by Shino.

"You and Choji seem really close."

"Yeah, I guess. It's not hard when you've been living together fro two months."

"You do seem really in sync.

"What?"

"You work well together."

"Oh." I said, "Yeah, right. As I said we've been living together for awhile, we've just gotten used to each others routines."

"It was really nice of his to let you live with him this long."

"Yeah." Silence reigned until we got to the training grounds. "Hey Shino-"

"Are you going to tell him?" Shino cut in. I gaped at him; beside me Akamaru raised his haunches in suspicion. This was Shino standing in front of me right? The overly quiet and reserved bug ninja Shino who didn't say too much of he could help it and NEVER interrupted anyone EVER?

With a sigh he picked my jaw up off the ground, "Do you plan on telling Choji how much you like him?"

If I'd been drinking anything it would have ended up all over Shino's jacket. "What?" I spluttered helplessly, "I don't—what makes you think—there's nothing…"

"Looks like you have to admit it to yourself first."

"I don't like Choji! I mean I do, he's cool and all, as a friend and all, but nothing else. I don't—I mean really!"

"If you really don't like him, why are you freaking out about it?" A kunai pressed close to my throat, the cold metal biting into my skin. Training officially began.

"Hey Choji, I'm back early." I called as I entered the apartment. I had thought about not going back yet, I wasn't sure if I wanted to see Choji until I'd figured out what I thought about what Shino had said.

Either way I was definitely not ready for what I did see.

"K-Kiba. I didn't expect you home until later." Choji stood up off the couch and turned to look at me. Unconsciously I registered the slight guilt that tinged his smile.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry. We finished a bit…early…" An extra pair of eyes watched me hang up my jacket from over the back of the couch. Choji, noticing I was frozen in the doorway, slumped down and muttered a few words to the girl with him.

"Kiba." He started carefully, the girl next to him rose so I could see her. She was just the kind of girl anyone could see Choji with. She radiated a sense of calm, though at the moment her deep blue eyes said otherwise. "This is Aya; she's a friend of mine."

"H-hi." She raised a hand shyly. I waved in return, not able to form words. I think the shock had numbed my brain. "I think it's about time I go. See you around Choji." She didn't look at me as she scurried past me and out the door. The sound of the door closing echoed in the silence.

"Kiba, I-"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Well no, I said she was just a friend."

"Seemed like it was more than that, the way she left." I spat bitterly.

Choji stepped back, stung. He looked down. "Ok, so maybe it was heading in that direction, but it hasn't really been discussed at all."

If you're so close, why do you feel you needed to hide her form me?" Something almost like anger bubbled in my gut. For some reason the thought of Choji keeping such a secret from me sent a wave of despair through my veins, which only increased the searing anger-like feeling. "I would have found out eventually, and at least then you could have told me you didn't want me around!"

"Kiba that's not it!"

"Then what is it?" I could feel my hands curl into fists, but just like that night in the bar those small details were lost in the haze of emotion.

"I just…"Choji trailed off, not feeling the same anger I was.

"What?"

"I just wasn't sure how you would feel about me having a girl around! Not after seeing how you haven't even looked at one since you moved in!"

It was my turn to step back. Never before had Choji yelled at me, at anyone. Unfortunately that didn't stop me, "But I might've liked to have known if there was the chance of me walking in on some bitch sucking your face off!"

"Aya is not just _some bitch_! You know now, so what the hell is your fucking problem?"

"My problem is that she fucking gets you and I don't!" With that sudden confirmation of Shino's words a wave of understanding washed over me, followed closely by the frozen numbness of shock.

That was _not_ the right comeback.


	4. UHHH

**NOTES-**The only thing I have to say is that, originally at least, the next chapter is supposed to be the ending, but I've been thinking of either continuing it, or making or sequel, or even rewriting it in Choji's POV. The only thing I have to say is maybe start thinking about whether you'd like that. I won't ask officially until you've read the next chapter though.

* * *

_Shit, shit, shit, shit…_The word repeated itself, filling my head until I thought it would come out my ears.

What had I just said?

"What…?"Choji trailed off, shock etched into every cell in his face.

"No!" My emotions were so tangled up that my thoughts were blocked from view. I didn't know my reasoning behind my objection, but it spilled out anyway, "No, no, no."

Please don't tell me I just basically told Choji I liked him!

He pulled up a chair and sat down. "Are you saying…?" A big hand pushed aside russet hair, "Kiba…I never thought…"

"I…"I couldn't say it; I couldn't think it, not right now. But I did understand, I knew why this Aya girl had bothered me so much, I just couldn't tell that straight to Choji. "I'm eating out tonight." I said finally. I felt totally drained and defeated. Vulnerable too.

I couldn't bring myself to look at Choji while I left, even though I could feel him watching me. "C'mon Akamaru."

I burst into a desperate run as soon as the door clicked behind me. A barrier between me and Choji, a wall between my emotions and my sense.

Only I think I left my sense behind.

Akamaru barked questions to me but every time I just shook my head. Step, step, breathe, step, step. I fell into a pattern, and concentrated on just that. Just the running. Movement. That's all there is. No Choji, no Shino, no confusion or feelings. Just the pure exhilaration of moving.

But even that had to come to an end.

I was in a park when I stopped, out of breath. When I took the time to fully look at my surroundings I recognized it as one I used to go to when I was young. It was just around a couple corners from where I grew up. I used to go here when mom was pressuring me and I couldn't take it. No wonder my feet had led me here of all places.

Just like when I was young I sat at the top of the slide and put my head in my hands while I cried. Only when I was younger it would have been out of anger, now I was just confused.

I knew I was bisexual, that I liked guys too, but Choji?

Sure, Choji is a great guy. He can cook amazingly, was overly modest and nice. He'd taken me in when I had no where else to go but…

There were no buts, where there?

Choji was the best. There was nothing else to it. He'd taken me in when my world had fallen apart and become a part of it when helping put it back together.

And by not realizing that earlier I might've just lost my chance at him to someone else.

That hurt. I saw it over and over; Choji and Aya together, alone on the couch. The guilty look on Choji's face when I'd walked in on them, like he'd just been caught cheating or something. It hurt knowing I'd lost him before I even knew that I wanted him.

"Kiba?" The voice that broke my thoughts was almost as familiar as Akamaru's bark.

"…Hinata." I looked up and tried to smile at her through my tears.

She gasped anyway, obviously surprised to see me crying. "What's wrong Kiba?"

I looked at her. She'd changed a lot growing up. She was so different from when I'd first met her getting out of the Academy. But in a way she was still the small, caring Hinata that she'd always been. "How do you do it Hinata?" My heart twisted into yet another painful configuration, "How do you stay strong, even though Naruto has never shown you the slightest sign of love? How do you stay standing through your unrequited love?"

"What happened, Kiba?" I slid down the slide and into her waiting arms, "Who hurt you?"

We stayed in the park while I told her, and after she took me to Shino's, where she filled in Shino on my predicament. I think I went numb inside halfway through, having cried out my pain, and not having the capacity for anything else at the time. I'm not sure how things went, but I stayed the night at Shino's, and the next couple after that. Hinata came over often, so I don't think I was ever alone. She tried a couple of times to talk to me, to try and get me back to my old self, but I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to face anything but my own emptiness.

After about five days Shino decided that enough was enough. He never was the kind to wallow in self-despair for long. "Kiba," He said in the voice he usually reserved for commanding missions, "You can't just mope and not tell Choji anything."

"But Shino," Hinata started in my defense. She changed her mind when Shino fixed her with a stare that she couldn't go against. She turned to me, "He's right Kiba. Knowing Choji, he's probably waiting for you to come back…"

"Kiba." He addressed me again, and I gave him a small look, "You can stay here for awhile, if you must."

I gave him a full look. Suddenly, this didn't seem as amazingly horrible. "You sure? I know you don't like sleeping with Akamaru around…"

"Only for awhile." He repeated, "And only because your no use to anyone like this. Maybe if you get away from Choji for awhile, without feeling guilty for not telling him will do you some good."

I smiled for the first time in days. "Thanks a lot-"

"But you have to tell him," He set Hinata with a sideways look, "yourself." Merciless bastard was like a sword smith hammering out all possible flaws. I couldn't help but visibly wince. "And get your things from him while you're at it."

"I won't let you stay here unless he knows." Hinata shrugged helplessly when I shot her a desperate look.

"It's okay Kiba," Hinata put her small hand on my shoulder and gave a reassuring smile, "I'll come with you if you want."

"Please…" Was I ready for this?

No, I'm not.

"It doesn't look like he's here." Hinata pointed out the next morning when he arrived at Choji's apartment. I looked at the familiar door and was relieved that maybe I wouldn't have to face him today. Just being here made me feel so…open. I wanted to know how he felt about this, but I was so…scared.

"Maybe we should come back later."

"No, let's start moving things now." I brought out the key Choji had made me when I first moved in.

He'd been so good to me…

Walking through Choji's strangely clean apartment, remembering how things had been for me while I had stayed here…It made me tired thinking that that was all over now. It felt like I was moving out of my parents place all over again, only without the excitement at the new adventure of it all. I would miss the peace and familiarity of this place.

Before I knew it I was crying all over again, Hinata trying to hold her armful of things and comfort me at the same time.

"Kiba?" Peoples really liked to step in on me in my weakest times didn't they?

I spun around at the deep voice. "Choji…" I breathed, taking in the sight of the larger boy. He was beautiful, which only sent other knife stabbing through my heart.

It didn't help that Aya was hiving me a small glare from the doorway.

"What are you doing here? Are you okay?" he took a step forward and automatically offered a box of tissues.

I used my sleeve to hastily wipe the water off my face. I opened my mouth to say the words I'd rehearsed all night. They didn't come.

Desperate, I glanced at Hinata and she gave a weak smile and nothing else. Shino had made her promise not to do more than help move my things from one place to another.

"Choji," Aya calmly side-stepped the group and headed towards the kitchen, "I'll start putting things away if you want."

"Yeah, sure." Choji disappeared for a moment, and returned without his bags of groceries.

"Choji, I…" I looked at my feet. I couldn't stand to look him in the eyes.

"Are you leaving then?" He asked quietly.

"Shino's letting me stay at his place awhile, so yeah." It was easier not having to say _I'm leaving _right to his face. "Sorry, for just coming in. You weren't here so…"

"Don't worry about it." I didn't need to look at him to know he was smiling."

Then we both went silent, neither knowing what to say. I felt like an awkward teen again, like I was still trying to ask out the first girl. I was painfully aware of the boy in front of me. And of the distance between us. I couldn't take it.

On a whim I touched his face, screwed my eyes shut, and kissed him. God knows this was probably the only time I'd get the chance to do that.

Choji hastily stepped back, breaking the contact. I waited a second to open my eyes, afraid of what I would see. I wasn't angry, but he was surprised, and obviously not wanting a repeat. My eyes watered again. Would these tears ever end?

"Bye Choji…" I ran out the door, not even checking if Hinata was coming or not.

I made sure to leave my key behind.


	5. END

**Notes-** When I started this I planned for it to only be about three chapters, but because that didn't work I extended it to five. So this is the ending. I'm actually very happy with it; that might just be because this is the first multi-chaptered story I've ever finished.

And I don't know about when you read this, but where I am a new year just started. I couldn't see a better way to start a new year than put a story to (maybe) rest :P Enjoy

* * *

"Kiba," Shino did that thing where he just stood at the doorway and looked at me. I twisted to look at him from over the back of the couch.

"Yeah?"

"Why haven't you left yet?" Ouch. He didn't have to put it so bluntly.

"You were the one who said I could stay here."

"For awhile." He liked to put emphasis on that, "And that was three weeks ago."

"But I haven't found anywhere else to go yet." I pouted,

"Then find somewhere." Merciless bastard. "You've gotten over your depression, now leave."

"You're not going to just kick me out on the street are you?" The moment I said it I knew what Shino would probably say. And he did.

"I might."

I sighed. Three weeks with Shino was enough for anybody. Not that he was horrible or anything, he's just…Shino. Shino was the type of person who lives off his secrets, so most of his place was off limits too me.

I would move out if I had any other options…

Thankfully that particular conversation was cut short by a knock at the door. Shino obediently went to open it.

"Hi Shino, Kiba." Hinata came in, "I made some cake this afternoon. I thought maybe you'd like to share it with me." She held out a covered box in the shy manner everyone knew her for. The scent of baked goods tickled the inside of my nose.

"Yeah, sure!" I bounded over Shino's couch with Akamaru close behind.

"Why don't you join us for dinner?" Shino said graciously, taking the box before I could get to close. "We can share this afterwards."

"I'd love too."

Three weeks. That's ho long I'd been living with Shino, and though we're teammates and do well together on the battle field, we're not the type of peoples who can just get along 24/7.

Not like me and Ch—

It's never taken me so long to get over a person who rejected me before. But I guess Ch—HE—never officially rejected me. I'd gotten over so many girls that never wanted anything to do with me I'd stopped counting. I didn't know you could go this long thinking about someone you didn't have a chance with…

Three weeks. That's how long I'd been thinking about him.

I also didn't know that just thinking someone's name could hurt so much, yet here I was, in Shino's place with a mental shield between my thoughts and his very name.

"Kiba…Kiba?" Hinata's quiet voice broke me out of my thoughts. My head shot up in surprise. "You've been spacing out a lot lately." She sounded so worried about me.

I quickly swallowed the food I'd been shoveling into my mouth and smiled at my teammates. "Sorry about that. Must not be getting enough sleep or something." I tried to reassure Hinata, even though I knew she'd pry worry anyway.

"Maybe you'd sleep better in someone else's home." Shino almost growled. He had this thing about getting hung up on things.

"Aww…but I like your place so much." This is one of those times I likes Shino's sunglasses; I could pretend I didn't notice the skin searing glare he sent me.

The doorbell rang just as Shino said some other smart retort that I just had to respond too. Hinata laughed as she walked out.

Shino and I continued our verbal sparring while Hinata talked to whoever was at the door. It was fun. It was one the things that made me forget just how much I hated staying with my buggy friend.

It didn't hurt that it got my mind off him…

"K-Kiba." Hinata called from the doorway, freezing some hot comeback in my through. Her stutter caught my attention.

"What's wrong Hinata?" Shino sent me a glance that told me he had noticed the stutter as well.

"Nothing," She insisted as she turned back into the kitchen. Her eyes told me there was something up though, "It's just for you…"

I got up, headed to the door and got about halfway there before I froze.

"Hey Kiba." The big russet haired ninja waved shyly from the door. I wasn't imagining this whole thing was I?

I had to reclose my mouth a few times before anything came out. "…hey…" I took a few steps closer and leaned against the wall, not fully trusting my feet to support me. "What are you here for? I don't think I left anything behind." I tried for a nonchalant conversation.

"No…you didn't. I'm here for…you…" He muttered.

"What?" There was no way I'd heard that right. It was his turn to look like a fish while he searched for the right words. Finally he glanced over my shoulder.

"Do you think we could talk…outside?"

I turned to see Hinata and Shino peering around the doorframe down the hall. "Yeah, sure."

Out on the street it was a beautiful night. The stars were easily visible in the moonless sky and only a slight breeze blew dust through the empty streets. I was glad fro the darkness. It could hide the blush that heated up my cheeks and the emotions that I was sure would dance over my face once he said what he came for.

"Is there something you need…Choji?" I had to force the name past my lips.

"I've been thinking since you left…" He stopped, not sure what to say or maybe how to say it.

"How's Aya?" I asked instead, even if it sent a pang through my chest to inquire on the very person who sent me to where I was now.

"I wouldn't know." He laughed nervously, "I haven't talked to her in awhile."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. Things just didn't work out I guess. It might have been your fault." He gave the most adorable smile, it should have been on a teddy bear.

"Really now?" A ray of hope for my desperate love life flashed before my eyes, but I couldn't bring myself to jump at the chance. "Sorry about that." I chuckled.

"It's okay. I can't really blame you. It's like you were in the relationship anywhere. You just ruined it."

"And you don't blame me for that?" I couldn't believe this guy sometimes.

It went quiet. I felt like I should have said something, but didn't know what to say. I almost couldn't think over the sound of my eating heart.

"I've been thinking since you left," He started again,

"Hmm?" I encouraged him to continue.

"Well, I talked to Ino, because she knows a lot about these kinds of things, um, and I think…"

"Yeah?" My heart sped up another notch. There were a million different scenarios of what he could say next. The ones I wish he would say whistled through my ears.

"I think…" he said for the third time. "That…that kiss you gave me before you left was the best I ever had." Even in the dark I could see how red his face was.

Time stopped. My heart stopped. Everything just stopped. "What?"

Choji winced and looked away. "Since the kiss I've been thinking about you a lot. I think I like you Kiba!" He forced the words out before his courage could fail him. He then looked up at me sideways, afraid to look at me full on for fear of my reaction. I couldn't meet him in the eyes. This was too much.

"I can only hope…you haven't moved on yet…" He babbled like a nervous little girl.

"Choji…" He winced again as I took a step towards him. He sniffed.

"I-I guess you have…sorry, for bothering you." He turned around, beyond disappointed.

This wasn't how this was supposed to go, if it was happening anyway. He was going to fast. I needed time to figure this out. Just a second…I needed to think.

Then my mind shut down and instinct took over. I whirled the larger boy around and grabbed to fistfuls of his red shirt. Using my leverage I hauled him close and kissed him. I kissed him like there was no tomorrow, because starting now he was _mine._

"You bastard," I whispered when we separated, "making me wait so damn long."

"Long?" Choji pulled away. "It's lonely been three weeks."

"Don't ruin the mood." I snapped, already feeling the romance of the moment drain away. Then things would get awkward. I didn't want that yet. "It's been three weeks too long." I attempted to swoop in for another kiss, but the ghost that is Shino couldn't possibly let that happen on his front step.

"I agree." He grouched.

Choji jumped at Shino's sudden appearance in our supposedly private moment. I'd long since gotten used to it.

"What do you two have against pure romance?" I asked to no one in particular. Apparently Hinata was the only hopeless romantic I knew.

* * *

As I mentioned last chapter I've considered continuing it for my readers, or maybe rewriting it in Choji's POV. I'd really like your opinions on that, otherwise I probably won't do anything, and just leave it as is.

I've decided that if I do continue it, it will be as a sequel that is actually all about their realtionship together, but I will put an extra bit here so the readers with alerts on this story will know that the next part is out, if I write it.

Since I know not everyone reviews, view my profile and vote on the poll I put there(Only registered users unfortunately) Anyone can still put their preference in a review if they want. I just figured this would make it easier to see which(If anything) is preferred.

Thanks everyone for reading this all the way to the end. It makes me so happy.


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